Windshield cleaner



NOV. 8, 1932. H. HUEBER WINDSHIELD CLEANER Filed Aug. 3. 1929 A PatentedNov. 8, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HENRY HUEIBER, OF BUFFALO, NEWYORK, ASSIGNOR TO TRICO PRODUCTS CORPORATION, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORKWINDSHIELID CLEANER Application filed August 3,'- 1929. Serial No.883,192.

This invention relates to a windshield cleaner and has particularreference to the wiper action or movement for increasing the effectivesweep of the cleaner.

In the more frequently used type of windshield cleaner the wiper bladeis given an oscillatory movement in an arcuate path so that the cleanedfield of vision is restricted to a small segmental-shaped area, leavingthe portion of the-windshield at either side of such segmental-shapedarea uncleaned so that traffic conditions to either side of the mainline of travel of the vehicle may not always be observed. In thestraight reciprocatory 15. type of windshield cleaner, that is where thewiper blade moves in a straight path across the windshield, it has beennecessary to reduce the frequency of the wiper reciprocations due to theincreased length of the wiper movement, and thisreduction of speedv hasnecessitated the use of a more or less intricate power unit forimparting reciprocatory motion to the wiper.

The present invention has for its object to provide a novel wipermovement combining the arcuate wiper movement with the straightreciprocatory wiper movement whereby'an increased zone or area iseffectively cleaned; to provide a simple drive for the wiper in whichthe straight reciprocatory portion of the wiper movement terminates inan accelerated arcuate movement; and in the features of construction andthe arrangements and combinations of parts hereinafter more fullydescribed and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawingwherein,

Fig. 1 is an elevation depicting ;clearly the mechanism for effectingthe desired wiper movement, the power being derived from an electricmotor. L

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectidn through the drive sprpcketend of themechanism.

Fig. 3 is a detailed section through the sprocket frame.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary elevation depicting I a fluid pressure motortype of drive.

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the part of the mechanism dlsclosed in Fig.4.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary showmgpf asunple power-switching mechanism forreversing the motordrive.

The preferred embodiment of my invention comprises a supporting frame 1having a drive wheel or sprocket 2 journalled at one end and a guidewheel or sprocket 3 journalled in its opposite end for supporting theendlessflexible member or sprocket chain 4, the chain being maintainedoperatively taut by a slack take-up construction in the frame 1. Thisframe construction has a fork or yoke 5 in which the guide sprocket 3 isjournalled and which is extensibly connected to the main body portion ofthe sprocket frame, as by a pin and slot connection 6. The extensiblepart 5 of the sprocket frame is urged into extended relation with thebody of the frame by a spring 7 thereby maintaining the sprocket chain 4free from objectionable slack.

One link or section of the chain is provided in the form of a carrier 8having a bearing sleeve 9 extending lengthwise of the pin-andin which isjournalled the angular end 10 of a wiper carrying arm .11' whichsupports on its free end the wiper blade 12. A spring 13, having one endsuitably anchored, is mounted about the sleeve 9 and has its free end 14extended downwardly alongside of the wiper arm and engaged thereover tourge the wiper blade into the desired wiping contact with the windshieldglass.

The shaft 15, on which the drive sprocket 2 is fixed, also supports aworm gear 16 which has meshing relation with a worm 17 carried by theshaft 18 of the electric motor 19.

In the operation of the cleaner, the electric motor is set in operationby closinga switch indicated at 20, the electric motor being of thereversing type and the switch being movable from one to the other of itstwo operative positions by a snap action, hereinafter described, whichis thrown alternately by spaced trips 21 and 22 carried on the sprocketchain 4. The operation of these actuating parts is such that as thewiper approaches its limit of movement in one direction one trip 21 willmove the switch to its other operativeposition whereupon the motor willreverseitself and move the wiper in its opposite direction until it justabout reaches its opposite limit of movement when the companion trip 22will actuate the switch 20 to its first operative position thereby againreversing the motor and the direction of the wiper movement.

Thus, in Fig. 1 the Wiper 12 has just reached its upward limit of swingand the trip 21 has just moved the switch 20 toits left hand operativeposition. The motor 19 will now reverse itself and cause the wiper blade12 to swing downwardly around the are indicated by the curved dash line23, and after the carrier 8 leaves the drive sprocket and proceedstoward the guide sprocket 3 the wiper will follow a straight course asindicated by the straight dash line 24:. As the carriage 8 moves ontoand about the sprocket 3 the wiper. will be caused to travel an upwardarcuate path substantially as indicated by the dashed are 25. At theupward limit of movement of the -wiper the companion trip 22 will engagethe switch 20 and swing it to the right thereby reversing the motor andcausing the wiper to retrack along the path indicated by the compositedash line 25, 24, 23.

' In Fig. 4 I have illustrated'a different source of power which, forthe purposes of illustration, is shown as the vane type of suctionoperated motor 26, the same being of the type illustrated in Patent No.1,562,122 granted to John R. Oishei, November 17, 1925. On the piston orvane shaft 27 is fixed a gear 28 for meshing with and driving a gear 16which is fixed on a shaft of the drive sprocket 2'. The reversing valve,generally indicated at 29, is designed for being operated by partssimilar to the actuating parts 21 and 22 of the disclosure made in Fig.1, one such part or trip 22 being depicted in Figs. 4 and 5.Consequently, the sprocket chain 4' will have back and forth movementimparted thereto in a manner similar to that of Fig. 1.

The switch 20 and the reversing valve 29 maybe of a desiredconstruction, and for the purposes of illustration I have shown in Fig.6 one form of snap mechanism which will readily adapt itself for useeither in the switch 20 of Fig. 1 or in the valve 29 of Fig. 4.

Referring more in detail to Fig. (3 there is shown a power switchingmember 20 operating between two operative positions for bridging two ofthree ports or two of three contacts, as the case may be, and generallyindicated at 31. An actuating arm 32 is movable relative to the powerswitching member 30 and has a spring connecting the outer end to ananchor 34. The members 30 and 32 are herein shown as beingpivoted on thesame axis and the member 30 is provided with spaced ears 35 betweenwhich the lever 32 has limited independent movement. The action would,therefore, be sub stantially as follows :The outer end 36 of the lever32 is engaged alternately by the trips 21 and 22 as the wiper approachesits opposite limits of movement, thereby swinging the lever 32independent of the member 30 until the spring 33 moves across thepivotal axis of said lever, or across dead center, at approximatelywhich time said lever engages the forward ear 35 and under the influenceof the spring swings the power switching member 30 to its new positionas defined by the respective stops 37.

From the foregoing it will beobserved that the effective cleaning of thewiper will be considerably enlarged; that by reason of the terminatingswings of the wiper the same will be given an accelerated movement forwidening the field of vision. Therefore, the straight reciprocatorymovements may be comparatively short and the cleared area quicklywidened by the terminal arcuate movements of the wiper. The sprockets,which term is used herein to include wheels, pulleys, rollers and thelike, are resiliently separated so as to hold the chain against looseplay and also to insure of the wiper travelling a straight path betweensprockets.

The chain, having a straight portion terminating in curved end portions,constitutes a guide means for the wiper element, defining a path ofmovement of the wiper which may be substantially straight in the medialphases of movement and curved at the initial and terminal phases ofmovement.

What is claimed is:

1. A windshield cleaner comprising a support, spaced sprockets thereon achain passing over and engaging said sprockets, a wiper carriageincorporated in the chain make-up and movable about .the sprockets, awiper moving arm on the carriage, a drive for the chain, a reversingmechanism for the drive to reciprocate the wiper, and a pair of tripsspaced along the chain for alternately actuating the reversing mechanismafter the wiper carriage has begun its travel about 'the respectivesprockets whereby the wiper will traverse a straight path terminating inarcs.

2. A windshield cleaner comprising a supiport, spaced wheels journalledthereon, a exible endless member supported by said wheels, a carriage onsaid member having a wiper arm bearing extending substantially parallelto said member, said bearing having a movement. between said wheels andabout and in a path concentric with the axis of said Wheels, a wiper\armengaged in the bearing, spaced trips on the member, a drive' for saidmember, and reversing means arranged in the path of said trips andalternately operable thereby to reverse the drive.

3. In a windshield cleaner, a wiper element, flexible oscillating meansfor carrying path having a substantiallystraight portion aflixed theretosaid wiper element, the portion of said reciprocating means to which thewiper element is affixed reciprocating in at terminating in curvedportions, whereby the Wiper is guided in a straight path during medialphases of its movement and in a curved path during the initial andterminal phases of its movement, 1 r

4. A windshield cleaner comprising a support, a drive mounted thereon, asprocket journalled on the support and driven from said drive, saidsupport havinga part yieldably and extensibly connected thereto, asecond sprocket journalled in said part, a chain taking over saidsprockets, a wiper carriage constituting a link of said chain and whollysupported thereby for reciprocatory movement, a wiper carried by saidcarriage for movement therewith, and means forreversing the movement ofthe chain. 7

5. A windshield cleaner comprising a support, a drive mounted thereon, asprocket Journalled on the support and driven from said drive, a secondsprocket mounted on the support, a chain taking over said sprockets,resilient means acting to separate the sprockets, a wiper, and a wipercarriage wholly supported by the chain for movement therewith, saidresilient means acting to maintain the chain taut and thereby define astraight course for the wiper carriage between sprockets.

6. A windshield cleaner comprising a support, a pair of sprocketsthereon, a chain extending over and engaging the sprockets, means forsupporting the chainsubstantial- 1y straight between sprockets, means onthe chain for carrying a wiper, said wiper extending substant-iallynormal to the portion of the chain to which it is attached, said meansbeing movable by said chain a dis tance about the periphery of eachsprocket and between sprockets as a path of movement, and means forlimiting of said wiper carrying means.

7 A windshield cleaner comprising a support, a pair of sprocketsthereon, a chain passsuch movement ing over and engaging the sprockets,means 7 for supporting the chain substantially straight betweensprockets, means carried by the chain for carrying a wiper, saidcarrying means movable by said chain part way about each sprocket andbetween sprockets as a path of movement,'a drive for the chain, andreversing means operable by and during movement of the chain forlimiting the path of movement of said wiper carrying means.

HENRY HUEBER.

